The Craft Room Has New Supervisors

Claudia Wessner
Jul 14
4 min read

Remember that craft room I just finished telling you about? The one that was finally organized, peaceful, and ready for all kinds of creative projects?

Well... life had other plans.

This week, the workshop gained two very tiny—and very furry—supervisors.

If you had asked me a year ago if we'd ever have cats, I probably would have laughed. Zach and I have never really been "cat people." Dogs? Absolutely. Cats? They just weren't on our radar.

But our younger daughter, Maeve, has been completely obsessed with cats for as long as I can remember. Every stuffed animal, every drawing, every conversation somehow found its way back to cats. Over time, the idea that once seemed impossible slowly became... maybe.

Eventually, we realized we were ready to expand our furry family. Cedar, our lovable Vizsla, has always kept life entertaining, but after years of hearing about cats from Maeve, we decided it was finally time to find out what all the fuss was about.

It all started with one kitten.

We found Rowan (formerly Alfie) through a rescue listing online, and it was one of those moments where you instantly know. His little face, his personality, his photos—we were hooked. We began the adoption process and were connected with an incredible rescue organization in Miami called Friends of Felines Inc. Their mission is to rescue homeless cats and kittens, provide medical care and foster homes, promote spaying and neutering, and ultimately place these animals into loving forever families.

Soon after, we met Rowan's foster mom over a video call. I don't think I'll ever forget that conversation.

She cared for Rowan, his siblings, and so many other rescue cats with an incredible amount of love. She shared that Rowan's litter and their mama had been found as newborns on the streets of Miami by a good samaritan before eventually making their way into the care of Friends of Felines. From there, they were placed with her to be fed, loved, socialized, and prepared for adoption.

Watching her interact with them, it was impossible not to see how deeply she cared for every single kitten.

Then she showed us the whole litter. The siblings wrestled together, curled up together, climbed over each other, and clearly adored one another.

As soon as we ended the call, Zach and I looked at each other and said the same thing. "We should get two."

So what started as adopting one kitten quickly became adopting two. Rowan's sister, Willa (formerly Sweet Pea), was coming home too.

Sunday was finally pickup day. The transport arrived at a local Park & Ride, and it was honestly one of the coolest things to witness. There were families everywhere, all waiting with the same excitement we felt, ready to welcome new members into their homes.

The amount of dedication these rescue organizations and volunteers pour into saving animals is nothing short of amazing. It's hard to put into words how grateful we are—not only to Friends of Felines, but to the foster mom who gave Rowan and Willa such an incredible start in life. Without people willing to dedicate so much of their time and love, stories like ours simply wouldn't happen.

The best part, though, was surprising the girls. They thought we were only bringing home Rowan because that was the kitten they'd helped us choose together.

When we brought them home and they realized there were two, Zelda looked up with the biggest eyes and said, "But wait... why are there two?" The excitement that followed is something I'll never forget. Those huge smiles were so worth it.

So far, Rowan and Willa have exceeded every expectation. They're incredibly social, affectionate, endlessly curious, and wonderfully goofy. They have explored every inch of their temporary room, chased each other until they collapse into a pile together, and already seem completely comfortable with all of us.

Being first-time cat owners meant doing quite a bit of research beforehand, and a couple of purchases have already proven to be worth every penny. The biggest surprise has been the Meowant SC02 automatic litter box. We wanted something reliable without spending a fortune, and after reading countless reviews, this one kept rising to the top. It has been fantastic—super quiet, easy to set up, and the kittens adjusted to the automatic cleaning almost immediately. They were definitely curious the first couple of times it cycled, but now they barely give it a second glance. Technology is pretty amazing.

We also added a water fountain, which they immediately took to. Apparently cats often prefer running water, and these two certainly fit the stereotype. Within minutes they were happily drinking from it like they'd been using one their whole lives.